The present invention relates to improve cooking vessels, in particular those having more durable wear resistant bottom surfaces.
Cooking vessels, such as pots and pans, are constructed out of a wide variety and combinations of metals as well as non-metallic coatings. Certain materials are selected for their heat transfer properties, while others are deployed as external surfaces, and frequently selected to improve durability in that they offer a consistent external appearance, despite the propensity for scratching or marring that occurs from contact with heating elements during use, stirring utensils or cleaning agents.
Copper in particular is a favorite material for constructing cooking vessels, because of its unique appearance, but also for its superior heat transfer properties compared to other metals. A popular design for cooking vessels is to utilize a laminate construction in which a layer of copper is sandwiched between other materials that form the interior of the cooking vessel as well as the bottom surface of the cooking vessel. However, these constructions, while protecting the copper layer from abrasion that will degrade the appearance, also hide the copper. This can be disadvantageous to manufactures as well, as the presence of copper in the construction will not be readily apparent to consumers, who might confuse such products with inferior merchandise. Thus, consumers looking for copper based cookware, may readily forego purchasing such products although they might have nearly equivalent heat transfer properties compared to pure copper cookware products.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide cooking vessels that predominantly display the copper construction in their bottom surface.
It is a further object of the invention to provide cooking vessels constructed predominantly of copper, in which the copper in the bottom surface is protected from scratches or mars that might arise from contact with heaters and other burner elements.